Symmetriaden, 2017

In his 1961 book, Solaris, Stanislaw Lem creates a strange, distant planet, beyond any human understanding. This masterpiece of science-fiction has been adapted to the screen and stage numerous times, and has served as paradigm for writers and fans of the genre. Moritz Altmann’s new show, Symmetriaden, draws inspiration from this elaborate work of fiction as he explores the subject of the incomprehensible, the unprecedented, whose representation the artist compares to a search for the image of gods. The uncertainty of their existence let alone their appearance makes the possibilities of a godly material form infinite and unintelligible for the human mind, and therefore they tend to be rendered to human figures as a way to rationalize their image. In line with Lem’s vivid world, Moritz Altmann works with plasticine, in both an intuitive and practical manner.  The self-evident nature of the execution of the works points to the familiar relationship between the artist, the medium, and the material. The symmetrical modeling defines the finished objects yet creates new forms as well. Masks and faces emerge from organic structures visualized in the multi-colored ceramics. Ultimately, the incomprehensible multiplies into a plethora of images within the material.